The Legend Of Zelda: Darkness Falls
by Rokstar9000
Summary: New title is kinda stupid... Sorry. Rating altered for violence. You never know when your last moment will be. Damon is brought into the Twilight Princess universe, and has to take the place of a fallen hero. However, will he take every aspect of Link on? As his journey progresses, he seems to be losing himself in the madness around him.
1. Chapter 1

Haunted/Somebody For Me

Another Rokstar9000 TP FF

Summary: When Link is killed after fighting Gannon, Midna is stricken. Then Damon came into the picture, and things get complicated. An old icon falls. A new hero rises. One person makes the ultimate sacrifice.

Haunted/Somebody For Me

Rated T for character death, my colorful fight scenes, and some language.

I still write Midna/Link pairing. More focus on the art of the OC in this one.

Hyrule Chapter One: Hopeless.

I dodged as many attacks as I could from Gannon, but eventually he was too fast. Finally, I managed to break through the web of steel that was around me, and I slashed, knocking Gannon down. I used the first trick I had ever learned, leaping over to him and stabbing. Blood coated the blade of the Master Sword as Gannon breathed his last breath. It was finally over. We had won.

_'We won, but I lost...'_

My mind turned to Midna. _'Damn you Gannon. Your death wasn't worth a fraction of the lives you took today.'_ I thought. '_Not even one of them.'_

I turned to the ruined castle. _'There's one last thing I have to do.'_ I said to myself. I slowly walked up the hill, into the ruins. There, I saw somebody I had never met before.

"What?" she asked. "Say something!" When I heard that voice I realized that something, probably Gannon's death, had broken the curse on Midna.

She opened her mouth to say something else, then her eyes suddenly widened in fear.

"Link, LOOK OUT!" she yelled, and I turned, lifting my shield just in time to block a slash from a Golden Darknut. _'What the hell?'_ I thought. A second one attacked from the side, and I blocked it, but the shield spilt in two under the heavy blow. I immediately unstrapped it and threw it to the side, and stopped a third Darknut's slash with the Master Sword. At least I knew that wouldn't break. I waited for one of the monsters to swing again, and then jumped, launching myself over its head. I slashed downward as I went over it, then hooked my sword between two of the plates of heavy armor. The Darknut turned, tearing the sword from my hand. I rolled to avoid its slash, and then reached for the sword, which was still stuck in the plates. Again it slashed, and I had to roll out of the way. I realized that I would have to fight unarmed. I backed up to the mirror and waited for one of the monsters to charge. Once it did I jumped back at the last second, launching myself off the mirror with one foot. I landed on the monster's shoulders, and then sprung off to the hard unforgiving rock below. There was a sound of breaking glass as the Darknut hit the mirror.

'_Can't worry about that now...' I thought. _I rolled as I landed, which softened the impact, but it still didn't feel great. The Darknut I had thrown into the mirror was obviously dead. _'Too bad it wasn't the one with the sword'_ I thought. I dodged the slash from the second one, knowing this was my last chance. This point was rammed home by the Golden Darknut that slashed me faster than I thought possible. I managed to avoid getting hit in a vital spot, but the blade cut through my left upper arm. _'Dammit! It's gonna be hard to fight with a gaping cut in my arm!'_ I swore to myself. Finally, as I avoided death for the tenth time, the Darknut plunged its sword into my stomach. I fell to my knees, pulling the blade back out of me. I fell heavily, like I was falling through water, and watched with blurred vision as the Darknut approached Midna and Zelda. _'No...'_ I thought weakly, and then more forcefully, I shouted "NO!" I stood up, ignoring the pain, and touched the crystal that hung on a thin chain around my neck. I almost instantly became the wolf, and, snarling, I launched myself at the Darknut, locking my jaws around the gap between its shoulder and upper arm plates. It tried to shake me off, but I held on tightly. It finally fell, and I slashed at its exposed neck. Then I felt the pain of my wounds again, and the surge of strength I had had ended. I fell, and Midna was at my side in an instant. She touched the crystal, and I was my human self again. I grunted in pain, holding my left arm. The normally white sleeve was gone, and red blood dripped from the cut. "What the hell were you thinking, Wolfy?" Midna tried to use her magic to heal the stab wound, but it was too serious. I felt myself slipping into unconsciousness. Then the pain started.

(Midna's POV)

I was stunned. Link was dying on the ground, and his killer was walking toward Zelda and I like it knew we couldn't escape. I closed my eyes, waiting for death, then I heard a voice shout "NO!", then I saw Link as his wolf self, leap onto the Darknut. I couldn't believe he had just done that. The Darknut tried to shake him, off, but Link held on, and it fell. Link jumped onto it and slashed its throat. Then he fell heavily on his side. I touched the crystal, and saw that besides being stabbed his arm was also slashed badly. I punched him lightly in his good arm. "What the hell were you thinking, Wolfy?" I said, while calling up my magic. I tried to heal the stab, but it seemed to repel magic. _'Why would he save me?'_ I thought. '_I've given him no reason to do anything but hate me, but he never even thought about going off on his own._' "Why would you do that?" I asked him, holding him off the ground now. "I... couldn't stand to..." he began, and then he coughed and winced in pain. I tried to use magic to heal what I could of the stab wound, but it seemed to repel magic. I carefully helped him sit up. He hissed in pain as I used magic to stop the bleeding and close the cut on his arm. Then, as I tried to heal the stab wound again, he clawed at the ground with his right hand, actually leaving inch-deep scratches in the stone. I stopped the magic, and he relaxed. He muttered something, and tried to stand up. He did so without much effort, and closed his eyes, looking away.

(Link's POV)

I muttered "I couldn't stand to see you die like that." It was the first sentence I had ever spoken. Normally I only gave silent nods or shakes of the head, or one-word answers. I got up, brushed the dirt off my clothes, and smiled at Midna and Zelda. I turned away, then fell and clawed at my arm. I got over the pain, and stood back up.

"Link..." Midna said. I turned back around. "Can I talk to you alone for a second?"

I nodded, and we walked to a more closed off part of the ruined castle.

"Link, I'm not staying." she told me. "But-" I started to protest. She held up a finger. "No. This is hard enough as it is."

I suddenly felt a sharp pain in my chest, and I fell to the ground. Everything went black only a few seconds after. The last thing I heard was Midna crying. Then my vision faded, my hearing stopped, and I couldn't even breathe.

(Midna's POV)

"Link!" I yelled, dropping to the ground again. His breathing was slow.

"Oh goddesses no." I whispered, crying. The tears fell down, and felt Link's breathing stop.

"No!" I whispered, my voice so quiet only he could have heard it. I buried my face in his chest and cried, punching the ground, which had always been his habit, but was something I learned. I closed my eyes and drifted off to sleep.

**AN: Link did not just have a heart attack.**

**But if that wasn't it, what was?**

Real World Chapter 1: All Too Real

(In the real world [Damon's POV])

"Hey Damon!" a blonde girl called to me. "Why don't you smile?"

_Stupid question. I couldn't smile. My brother Nick had been ruled dead only a month ago. He had been missing for over two years. I was wearing some of his old clothes, actually. Torn black jeans, black sunglasses with red rims, black biker gloves, and a tight black shirt. Sure, you could call me emo. I really don't give a damn. I don't even know what it means to be emo. I wear mu scars like trophies. None of the scars were made by me. They were actually from me getting into a little argument with a werewolf. Not the smartest thing to do. But the fact that my arms were scarred, coupled with the rest of my outfit, made people assume that I was a cutter. I had loved school before Nick had disappeared. Now I got into all sorts of trouble. I walked with the other "bad-boys" of the school, got into fights in the locker room, and played my music loud. I wasn't acting, either. _Suddenly, in the middle of my thoughts, I ran into Kayla, the girl who had come to this school just before Nick disappeared.

"S-sorry!" I got out, then I went around her. I heard her call my name, but ignored her and kept walking.

My house was two minutes away from the school, so I was home before I knew it. I opened the door, walked into the empty house, and went into my room. There, I opened the windows, even though it was raining. I loved the rain. I picked up my copy of Zelda: Twilight Princess for the Wii, and loaded up my save. I had actually made a hack that made the game more realistic, with one-for-one motion and actually getting injured. The character, not me. I watched the cutscene before the Gannon battle, and made Link roll out of the way. I dodged all Gannon's attacks, defeating him without getting hit once. Then I watched the ending, which I had seen before. But now something was different. Link looked down and away from the camera, then looked at the castle. He walked back up the hill, head hung low. Then he saw Midna uncursed.

"What?" she asked. "Say something!"

Then her eyes widened, and she yelled "LOOK OUT!" (I had added voice acting.)

I watched the strange fight unfold. Link vs. a Golden Darknut and two regular ones. His shield actually broke, and he was fighting with just the Master Sword. Then he tried to remove the Darknut's armor, and lost the sword. Then he showed some serious acrobatic fighting. I watched in horror as first his arm got hit, then after a few more dodges the Darknut stabbed him. Then the Darknut turned to Midna and Zelda. Link suddenly shouted "NO!" and changed into the wolf, managing to kill the Darknut. I smiled as I saw Midna save Link, winced as he yelled in pain, and reacted like all of it was real. The thought shocked me. 'Wait, the TV isn't normally that big!' I thought. 'And no TV looks this real. I slowly walked forward, holding out my hand. It went through where there should have been a screen, and I walked through. As I did, I saw Link fall to the ground, and Midna cry over him. _'Link is DEAD?'_ I thought in terror. Then _'Note to self: hacking is bad.'_ Then I heard a clinking sound from behind me, and realized that hacking was the least of my problems.

"OH… SHI-"

I cut myself off and jumped out of the way as the Darknut slashed at me. I flipped back, then jumped to the side again. '_I need a weapon!_' I looked around and nearly got hit. _'SHIT! I gotta find some way to hit this thing!' _I looked around again. The only option I saw was to take Link's sword. I quickly ran toward that area, and tried to grab the sword, but I was stopped by a pale hand.

"Who are you, and what do you want the sword for?" a familiar voice shouted at me.

"Attacked. Need a weapon!"

"Stand back."

'_Oh yeah… she can use magic…'_ I remembered, then stared as she used the sword instead, bringing it sweeping around in a silver-white blur.

"Why did you-"

"Use the sword? It was easier."

"So, I'm Damon."

"I'm-"

"I know who you are. Wow… that sounded really weird."

"How do you know who I am?"

"I…" I decided it was best to say something that might make sense.

"I came from the future. I saw your entire story, then, when I got closer I saw… something unusual. As I walked forward, I found myself here."

She snapped her fingers, and a bladed spear appeared in her hands, which she held at my throat. "You're lying."

"Hey! Hey! Chill! I'm not the one you're after!"

She glared for a moment. "You're lying." she repeated, but she took the blade away from my throat.

"So now what do we do?" I asked.

"Now _I _go find a way to escape this realm. You do whatever you wish." she answered turning and walking away.

"Wait!" I called, following her. "I don't belong here! How am I supposed to get home?"

"It's not my problem." she answered coldly. "Find your own way."

"The thing is... I don't know where to go." I said, looking away.

She glared for a moment, then her expression softened. "You can stay with me for now. Maybe we'll both find our way home..." she relented. "Just don't become too annoying. I'm doing you a favor."

/_\

/_\ /_\

**AN**: **Okay, you have to tell me what you think. Good? Bad? Decent? I think it's a lot better than the first story I wrote.**


	2. Chapter 2 - Burning Brighter

Chapter 2: Burning Brighter

**_AN: By the gods, it's been such a long time since I've even logged into this account! I come bearing a gift of TWO chapters. Enjoy._**

-Damon-

"Look, I'm not trying to be difficult, but it would be nice if I knew where we were going." I called as Midna climbed over a hill. She turned back to me, then sighed.

"We've got to find a way to repair the mirror for me. As I said before, you don't need to tag along if you don't want to." she called over her shoulder. She'd been like this all day, refusing to give me a straight answer.

"So... What exactly are we going to do?" I asked. She stopped, then shook her head, laughing. I glared at her. "Where are we going?!" I asked louder.

"It depends." she replied. I looked up apprehensively. "If you want to be helpful, we can always go through the Hero's Trials." I raised an eyebrow.

"How original..." I muttered. Raising my voice, I asked, "What are they?" At this, she sighed again.

"We're going to have to stop for the night if you want to know." she warned. I nodded, and she strode toward the edge of the nearby forest.

She pulled out blankets and other supplies while I broke off low-hanging branches. It may have been a bit disrespectful to nature, but I preferred that over freezing to death.

It took me almost ten minutes to get a fire started. I swore under my breath, wishing I had brought my lighter with me. Of course, I didn't know where anything I had been carrying was right now. Even my clothes had been traded for some kind of leather or padded armor. Midna and I sat on opposite sides of the fire, her expression not one of relief like mine. I hated walking.

"The Hero's Trials are said to be hidden in this very area." she began. I snorted.

"Oh, how convenient." I muttered. She glared at me. "Don't mind me, keep going."

"They're supposed to be a gauntlet left by the goddesses to test who would be the new champion of Hyrule, should the old one die before their time." she continued. "Needless to say, they haven't been entered for centuries. Supposedly, the person who passes all of the Trials will be granted the power of the Hero of Hyrule. Of course, most believe this is just a story."

I shuddered apprehensively. I didn't like the idea of a dangerous gauntlet that hadn't been attempted in years. Maybe it was just my natural fear of death kicking in, but I suddenly didn't want to be involved at all.

After this short, not very detailed briefing, I wrapped myself in a blanket and tried to sleep. Midna grudgingly slept back-to-back with me, "only so I don't die of cold." I sighed, wondering what I could have possibly done to make her hate me with such a burning passion.

After we woke, Midna led us in a search around the forest. She had said the Trials were located here, so it was obvious that we had to look around. The green of the leaves all around me, in addition to the cool shade they provided, made me calmer and more relaxed than I usually ever was.

This relaxed state abruptly disappeared when I ran into a stone wall.

"OW!" I shouted, backing up and staring at the obstruction.

It was an ancient building compromised entirely of what had once been pure marble. The dirt and dust that had blown through over the years had turned them a pale brown color.

I peered through the stone archway, but couldn't see into the dank blackness.

"I think we may have found your trials..." I called over my shoulder to Midna. She pushed past me and walked through the arch.

"Obviously. Honestly, why did I agree to let you follow me?" she snapped, descending into the darkness. I followed hesitantly.

**_AN: I know, it's a bit short, but it's sort of a bridging chapter that leads into the next one, which, I personally think, is awesome. Not because I wrote it (Gods know I don't write very well), but because of the content._**


	3. Chapter 3 - The Hall Of Blades

Chapter 3: The Hall of Blades

_**AN: I know last chapter was in first person, but... I'm not well at the moment and don't feel up to fixing it. I will soon, so just bear with me for now. Sorry...**_

Three hallways branched from the central room. Damon grinned. This was all? He had been expecting some huge dungeon crawl. Three rooms was nothing.

"There's a sign here..." Midna called from the leftmost hall. Damon walked toward her, and she pointed. A shiny metal plaque, hung on the wall, said something he couldn't read.

"It says this is the Hall of Blades, whatever that means..." she translated. He grinned. It sounded to him like they'd get a sword in this room. Of course, he didn't know where trial fit into that, but who cared?

"This is gonna be easy!" he said, opening the door and walking through. His eyes widened as a huge sliver blade arced downward, close enough for him to feel the wind it created.

"HOLY SHIT!" he shouted, backing out of the room just as fast as he had entered. Midna laughed beside him, and he glared.

"Shut up. We're here for you." he growled. She glared back.

"I WAS going to go in myself. Now you can go have fun getting chopped into tiny pieces." she snapped back. Damon breathed deeply, then swore under his breath. He hadn't even had a chance to see what the rest of the room was like.

"Alright... Let's do this..." Damon sighed, kicking the door back open and sprinting, feeling blades slice just a hair behind him. He hated this.

"Whose god damn idea was this, again?" he called over his shoulder. Of course Midna ignored him. He was just in time, however, to see a blade slice along his entire lower right arm

"OH MY GOD! GOD DAMMIT THAT HURTS LIKE HELL! GAHHHH!" he shouted, collapsing to the ground. He was two feet away from where he had to go now. Two feet away from stopping the blades. He tried to get up, but couldn't bring himself to his feet. The cut on his arm wasn't very deep, but it was long and didn't stop bleeding. He was just under the arc of the blades now.

He tried to stand again, and felt another blade cut across his shoulder blades, this one deeper AND long. He screamed wordlessly this time, and collapsed again, unable to stay standing, or even on his knees. He closed his eyes, clenched his teeth, and stretched his left arm forward. The line across his back burned and he had to hold back another scream.

"Damon! I'm coming! Don't move!" Midna called, and he froze. Something in him said that was a bad idea.

"No! Stay back!" he shouted, continuing to drag himself forward. If he could just press the switch that was only inches away, now, he could stop the blades. Just a few more inches...

Damon reached out, cuts screaming in protest, and pressed down with his left hand, then heard the swish of sharp blades swinging through the air stop. Then he heard Midna sprinting toward him from the door. He also heard another sound, a heavy thud of wood-on-stone, but couldn't see what it was. His vision was dim and red, and he couldn't get his body to move. Not even his good arm.

"Damon! Don't be dead... You can't die here!" Midna was saying softly. He tried to respond, but still couldn't get his body to listen to his own commands. There was a searing sensation along his lower arm, and along his back, almost as painful as the cuts had been, then... Nothing. Danon felt himself slip into unconsciousness.

Damon felt at first like he was floating. All around him was a white void, completely empty. He started to walk around, not knowing if the movement was taking him anywhere.

"You're right. You aren't going to get anywhere." he heard a voice say. He turned to see a figure standing behind him. They were directly in front of a bright light, and nothing of their face was visible because of the shadow the light created.

"Where are we?" Damon asked. "Who are you?"

"We don't have time for twenty questions. Wait until you finish the Trials." the figure said. Damon sighed. Everyone in this world had to be so secretive. "As for who I am, I am someone who can help you get back.." the figure added, holding out its hand. Damon eyed the hand warily, then took it. There was a blinding flash, then... nothing.

Damon opened his eyes to see Midna's blood red ones wide in concern.

"Are you... Okay?" she asked. Damon considered her question. The pain between his shoulder blades was gone, as was the pain in his right arm. All-in-all, he was fine.

"Never felt better..." he answered, sitting up. She looked at him closely. He was sure she didn't believe him, but what did she care? If he wanted to say he was fine, he'd say he was fine.

"What happened? I heard something fall! How long was I out?" he asked.

"You were unconscious for the past hour." Midna answered. "Sometimes you would twitch or something, and that was the only time I could tell you were still alive." she added. "As for what happened, you made it to the end of this room, and this thing appeared." she said, gesturing to a reinforced wooden chest. Iron covered the edges and top, and a heavy metal clasp held it shut.

"I thought you deserved to open it, since you were the one who nearly died to get it." she said. Damon stood up, struggling at first to undo the clasp of the chest. The lid creaked as he pushed it open, and he pulled out a large, extremely heavy object that sparkled, even in the dim light given from the torches.

"Looks like a shield to me..." he said, the heavy clear crystal still glittering. He looked at it doubtfully. It seemed to be made of glass! How was he going to use it without it breaking? He didn't say anything out loud, however, since it was better than nothing at all.

As soon as he had strapped the shield to his left wrist, he heard a clank of heavy metal armor, and felt his heart sink.

"Oh no... Oh GOD, no..." he said softly, turning to face-

Another Golden Darknut.

"Of course..." Damon groaned. "It couldn't just have been a trapped room, could it?"

The shield didn't feel quite so heavy anymore. He didn't really notice his mind registering the simple thought. He was too busy jumping back to dodge the Darknut's first slash. A scream from beside him made his blood go cold. Midna hadn't been as lucky.

Damon was unarmed, though, and couldn't do any damage to the armored hulk. His eyes widened as a second slash rushed toward him, the gold blade arcing toward his neck. He lifted the crystalline shield, and a loud clang reverberated through the room. The shield wasn't even dented or scratched. Damon slammed the shield into the Darknut full on, and it fell backward, dropping its heavy sword. Damon grabbed it with two hands, lifted it, and stabbed the Darknut through the heart. Black blood leaked onto the floor before the monster dissolved.

"Midna! Are you okay?!" Damon asked, dropping to his knees beside the fallen girl.

Her eyes were shut, and her ever-present scowl had... faded, almost. Blood dripped from a long cut across her chest.

"Don't leave me! Stay with me, dammit! I can find a way to fix this!" he said, panicking. "Don't-"

Damon swore as a second crash announced the arrival of another Darknut. He had just killed the first one!


	4. Chapter 4 - What Lies Beneath

Chapter 4: What Lies Beneath

Blood.

It was such a horrible sight. I could see it pouring out of Midna's body, staining the floor around her with red. A fire inside me rose, and I turned to face the Darknut with my new shield in hand. It approached slowly, and I lifted the crystal in response. I felt a buzz running through my body like an electric shock. Everything suddenly looked more vivid, more detailed.

Despite the situation, I laughed almost maniacally at the sensation as it brought me strength. This stupid hunk of metal had no idea what was coming to it. I smirked as I readied myself to stop its attack.

Finally, it lifted its sword to strike. I blocked the sweeping slash with a loud crash. Seeing my chance, I grabbed the handle of the Darknut's sword, grimacing as the blade caught my hand on the way. Without hesitation, I swung it around, and impaled the monster through the helmet with its own weapon. It fell heavily, and I took a quick step to the side as it began to fall. Even if I had been faster, I wouldn't have been able to move before it fell on me. A lance of pain shot through my uncovered arm, though the shield protected my other one somehow.

I crawled out from under the heavy body at a painfully slow pace, then nearly blacked out as I tried to stand. A small hatch opened, and a fairy flew down. As it began to circle me, I shook my head, pointing at Midna.

"Help... her... Please..." I said, then lost consciousness for the second time in one day.

/_\ /_\

When I woke up, I was back in the entrance hall of the Trials. My arm and hand were healed again, and I could see Midna- alive!- staring at me from where she was seated on the other side of the room. When I caught her eye, she looked away.

She looked completely unharmed, though she was paler than usual. I could still smell the blood from out here, though. Or maybe it was just my imagination. I picked up my new shield as I walked over to her, not sure what to expect.

As I approached, she looked up again, and I tried to smile. She didn't return the favor, instead remaining expressionless.

"You saved me."

"Well, now we can call it even." I said, stretching and trying to loosen up some.

"I don't mean from the Darknut." she said, "I mean you brought me back to life."

I stopped, frowning. She remembered almost dying? I had thought people did their best to forget about things like that.

"I couldn't just leave you there. Then everything I've done would be pointless."

She looked away again, masking her face with her hair.

"It seems... I don't learn from my mistakes." she said. "I've given you every reason to hate me, and you've saved my life twice."

"Let's try to keep it down to two, huh?" I said. She smiled weakly, still refusing to look at me.

"When that fairy healed me, you were... glowing, almost." she said, changing the subject. I raised an eyebrow at this.

"I was?" I asked. It was hard to believe. "I never knew I could do THAT. Wonder where I picked that trick up from."

"I do too." Midna said, shaking her head. "I swear, these two days have been the strangest of my life, including when I got turned into an imp. And that was strange."

She'd basically read my mind, there. This was the craziest adventure so far that anyone had ever had. Not that anyone would believe me if I told them once I made it back home.

When I thought of home, I realized everything seemed hazy and unfocused. If I didn't know any better, I'd have said it was all a dream, that this was the only real thing that had ever happened. The thought unnerved me. What if I actually did lose my memory?

I kept thinking as we prepared to sleep in the entrance hall. I knew it was the right thing to do, but why else had I saved Midna? I never did things at my own expense; either something helped me and I did it, or it didn't and I didn't. This... was something new. I wasn't even sure it was really me.

Was this world completely transforming me? Would I lose myself, even if I did make it back home? Was it really me living on if I wasn't the same?

I pushed these thoughts away as I tried to get comfortable. It was too late for this. I was exhausted, and my brain was getting nowhere with all these questions. I stared at one of the torches burning on the wall as I finally managed to sleep without being knocked out. It was a nice sensation.

-_-_- (M)

I watched as Damon finally slept, trying to sort everything out in my head. He had saved my life, yes, but there was more to it than that. He had acted differently ever since the Trials had started. He seemed so familiar to me, but I couldn't place the resemblance.

On the other hand, I knew he was hiding something. He'd lied to me when we'd first met, and I wasn't going to let that stand. I would find out somehow. And, though he hadn't acted like he cared at first, he'd saved my life for no reason. I wasn't sure what I would have done in his place. I would like to think I would have done the same thing, but I couldn't be sure.

I still wasn't sure as I slipped into my dreams, haunted by so many different scenes. Death, blood, and fear had taken over this part of my mind, turning pleasant dreams into violent nightmares.


	5. Chapter 5 - The Hall Of The Mind

Chapter 5: The Hall Of The Mind

We stood at the door of the second trial, not sure what to expect. "The Mind" was such a vague description that it could be anything.

"We'll never find out if we stay out here." I said pushing the door open a bit more cautiously than the first trial. Nothing happened.  
>"No blades trying to rip me to shreds. Seems promising..." I muttered, walking through. Midna followed slowly. The moment we were both through, the door slammed shut behind us.<p>

I grabbed the handle and pulled as hard as I could, but it wasn't moving any time soon.  
>"Dammit! Looks like we have to find another way out." I swore as I looked around the room. It was brightly lit, and... missing a floor. We were standing on a platform over a pit.<p>

A loud buzz filled the room, making it hard to think. I looked over the edge of our little platform, and groaned.  
>"I knew I shouldn't have said anything about the blades..."<br>Spinning buzzsaws decorated the floor about fifty feet below. Not that they would kill me. The fall would probably be enough on its own. I looked up again, and saw other platforms like ours placed at irregular intervals, as far as I could see. I couldn't see the other end of the room.

"Damon... You need to see this..." Midna said over her shoulder. She was looking at something on a pedestal in front of her.

It was a book of some kind, filled with strange lines and numbers. "Maybe some kind of magic book or something?" I said hopefully, reaching out to take it. The moment it left the pedestal, the room went dark. The only torches still burning were above the platforms, shedding a dim light that didn't reach over the platforms' edges. The saws were quieter, but they still ate at the back of my mind, setting me on edge.

"I think... I think these are directions on how to get across!" Midna said. "The symbols are arrows, haven't you noticed?"

I looked down at the book, and frowned. I hadn't noticed that before. It made me feel stupid.  
>"Yeah, you're right. And the numbers are probably how many steps we have to take." I said. I looked across the darkness to the next platform.<br>"But we have to memorize each set, it looks like. Nobody could read in that light."

We read the book carefully for a few minutes, reciting the directions to each other until we could easily get them right, then stood at the platform's edge.

'Well, here we go... Stepping into empty space with only an old book to tell us where to go.' I thought. I figured it wasn't the best idea to say this out loud.

The first step was the hardest. It was unnerving to be walking on absolutely nothing. I was sure if I moved my foot even an inch to either side I would fall.

Every step after that got gradually easier. My heart never slowed down, but we were making our way across the room. There were a few terrifying moments where we had to think to remember the instructions, but they quickly passed.

Finally, after several pages of directions, I could see a door on the next platform. I almost laughed, I was so relieved. I felt like my heart was about to jump out of my chest at this point, with all the stress of this trial.

"Four steps forward, and we're done!" I said. I took the first three, then paused for a moment, wanting to savor the triumph.  
>Then, I took the last step, and plunged into the darkness.<p>

"Damon!" Midna shouted, then I felt a slim hand grasp mine. I was dangling over a fifty foot drop to my bloody death, at this point. I did my best to help her as she tried to pull me up.

For several terrifying seconds, I thought that she was going to be pulled off by my weight. Then, to my relief, my empty hand touched the walkway's edge. I pulled myself up, straining against gravity to lift my own weight out of harm's way.

With one last pull, I dragged myself up and onto the walkway, gasping from both the effort and the terror I'd just felt a few moments ago.

We remembered the last of the directions (I had been wrong about the four, but just slightly), and finally had our feet on solid ground again. I slammed the book shut and set it on the pedestal on this end. The lights flared into existence again, revealing the walkway with them. I was still staring at the twisting path when another loud crash announced the arrival of another chest.  
>'Do they always have to fall?' I thought, then walked to it and flipped the clasp open.<p>

Inside was a large black cloak that seemed to absorb the light around it. I hated the sight after being in the dark for so long today. Regardless, I pulled it out and threw it over my shoulders. It was soft and warm, at least, and I got the feeling that I would appreciate that soon enough. I pulled the door open, and we stepped back into the entrance hall again. It made no sense to me, seeing how the door we'd entered through was on the opposite end of the room.

Or maybe it wasn't. Maybe the room had just turned us around. I couldn't be too sure. All I knew was that I was glad to have survived. Midna and I weren't exactly having the best luck today. Or since I had showed up. Take your pick. Either way, things were going badly and I had a feeling they were just going to get worse.

We both agreed to take some time to rest before going through the third trial. As we spread out our camp again, I thought about how often we'd saved each other's lives in the past two days. It was getting strange at this point. I decided we would have to discuss this soon. Maybe right now.


	6. Chapter 6 - Patience

Chapter 6: Patience

I waited a while before I started a conversation. I don't know why; it just felt like the right thing to do. Maybe I was nervous. Who really knows? All I know is that I waited.

Finally, the time came when I felt I couldn't wait any longer. I got up and walked to where Midna was seated facing away from me. She was staring into one of the torches in a sort of daze with her knees drawn up to her chest like she was trying to take up as little space as possible.

"Uh... Midna... I just wanted to say... Thank you..." I said awkwardly, refusing to walk away now. "You know, for saving me back there."

She nodded slowly without turning. I sighed. This was going to be a lot tougher than I had originally expected. She still didn't exactly want to talk to me.

"I gave you a lot of trouble when I first showed up here." I continued. "And I know we're not exactly friends, but..." Here I threw caution to the wind. What did I have to lose, really? "I'm wondering... If we hate each other so much... Why do we keep saving each other's lives?"

She turned finally, looking annoyed.

"Maybe it's just instinct." she snapped. "What are you going to suggest? You obviously have an idea; you people always do."

I took a step back in surprise.

"I... Well..." I hadn't been expecting anger. "I was just wondering."

"Well maybe you can stop making assumptions and just deal with the fact that not everyone you meet will be an open book!" she snapped. I looked down and away, feeling like a total moron. "I had a feeling that you regretted saving me..." I muttered. She heard me.

After that reaction, the look in her eyes turned to shame.

"Look, I didn't mean to blow up like that. I've been... Well, it's been rough for me lately. I hope you understand."

I nodded. That was one thing I could understand. I'd lost my brother; I knew what it felt like when the person closest to you died. What struck me now was that I would do anything to avoid letting it happen to another person I loved. I just needed to find that person.

I wasn't sure why I'd saved Midna. Maybe I was just crazy. All I knew was that I was going to keep doing it if the need arose; I wasn't going to let her die any more than she would let me. That was my assumption, anyway. I didn't know if it was actually true.

I decided to give her some space and walked back to my side of the room, sitting and waiting. It was taking way too long, but I stopped myself from complaining. I was the one who had screwed up on the last trial.

-_-_- (M)

I was getting sick of these moments between Damon and I. Whenever I talked to him I lost my temper, then had to go back and apologize for it. His question had hit me hard, though: why were we both so hellbent on keeping the other alive? Now that he was armed, he didn't need me, and I had never needed him.

So why did I play the hero when we had first met? And later, in the last trial when I could have just let him fall to his death? It wasn't just my conscience stopping me... It was something different. The sense of familiarity he had. It was what caused me to get angry every time we discussed almost dying.

I still wasn't sure what I thought of him at this point. He was just as much of an idiot as... I refused to say the name in my mind here. It would have hurt too much.

I could see the same reckless streak in Damon. He would do anything, no matter how stupid, to get what he wanted. It was that sort of person who pissed me off, but... at the same time...

'No. Don't even think about it.' I told myself. 'Don't imagine it. Just leave well-enough alone.' I told myself quickly. I was cutting off a dangerous train of thought here. It was a subject that I had sworn to myself I would never mention again.

Even then, the thoughts danced at the back of my mind, making me question every word I said. I wasn't quite sure how to make them go away, really. All I could do was focus on the task at hand and distract myself, and that wouldn't last forever.

Finally, I stood up.

"Let's do this last trial already. I'm sick of this place." I said. Damon stood also and nodded, heading toward the last door.


	7. Chapter 7 - Leap Of Faith

Chapter 7: Leap Of Faith

I pushed the door open, barely noting the name "The Hall Of Heroism", and walked through. The instant I did, there was a bright flash of light that blinded me for a few seconds. Once it went away, I looked around. I was on a high tower, and... somehow, Midna was on another one about twenty yards to my side. She was in a glowing, barbed steel cage that was slowly closing in on her.

"What will you do, foolish play-hero?" a voice asked. I looked around for the speaker, but saw nothing. "You have a choice to make, and quickly."

"A choice? What the hell are you talking about?!" I asked. The voice's calling me a 'play-hero' had cut deep, and I wasn't sure what I had to do. All I knew was that that glowing cage of light was getting smaller every second, and I had to stop it.

"You have exactly sixty seconds to make your decision." the voice said gravely. I stared at the cage, trying to come up with a way to save Midna. I came up empty. All I had was a shield strapped to my arm. Useless.

"You can walk away and save yourself, leaving your friend to be crushed by the cage... Or you can jump, deactivating the pressure plate on top of the tower and releasing her." the voice said.

I stepped toward the edge of the tower, not sure what I was doing. I looked over the edge. The drop was so far I couldn't see the bottom. All I could see was a thick fog. I took a deep breath.

Save the life of some girl I barely knew, and probably die myself, or walk away and let her die brutally. It should have been easy. I could save myself here and have no problem.

Yet, something stopped me from turning away from the edge. Something inside me refused to walk away.

"Thirty seconds, play-hero."

I stared into the fog, struggling with my instinct of self preservation. It was screaming at me to walk away, to get out of there.

"Twenty..."

Another kind of screaming began. The cage's barbs were pressing into Midna's body now. Blood dripped to the ground. If I waited much longer she would be dead even if I did jump.

"Ten... Nine... Eight..."

I took one last deep breath, then took another step toward the edge of the tower. And another. With her screams echoing in my ears, I closed my eyes and threw myself off the ledge. The wind rushed past my ears as I flew toward the bottom.

I felt the impact as I fell into the water at the bottom. It stung, but I would live. Instead, I pushed toward the surface and looked around. There was a ladder up to the tower Midna had been trapped on. I swam toward it as fast as I could, grabbing on and climbing frantically. I had seen the blood, and it terrified me.

I saw her on the tower floor, lying on the bloodstained stone. I ran to her side and dropped to my knees, ignoring the blood all around me. She opened her eyes, and the red drew me in.

"You saved me again..." she whispered. I smiled at her, doing my best to reassure her. At that moment, I felt a blade stab into my ribs. Midna's eyes burned with triumph as she smiled evilly at me. I gasped, then collapsed onto the bloody floor as she became a grinning shadow. Everything turned white, then changed. I closed my eyes against the brightness.

My eyes opened. I had a sword in my right hand and my shield strapped to my left arm. I was standing, unharmed, in a round, white room with a transparent floor. Link was staring from across the room. I knew this was another trap at that moment.

-_-_- (M)

A flash blinded me as Damon opened the door of the third trial. I stood facing two figures in the next room, one that was purely white. I could only tell where the floor was by where the two were standing.

One figure was clearly Damon, holding a brightly polished sword in one hand and his shield strapped to his other arm. The other was... Him. The one I'd been hoping to see, but never daring to hope.

He looked exactly the same as he had when we had first met, so long ago. I stared, unable to say or do anything. He was staring at Damon, his own sword already drawn.

I took a step back, not sure what to make of what I was seeing. Suddenly, Link leapt at Damon, who brought up his shield to block the slash. He quickly retaliated, but was blocked himself. The two exchanged blows for several minutes until I couldn't take it anymore. I charged forward, blocking both of their swords.

"What are you doing?!" Damon shouted. "It's a monster! Don't let it trick you! He's dead!"

Link shook his head.

"He's lying!" he called to me, pointing at Damon. "He's the fake! If you kill him, we can go back!"

I was in a tough spot here. I didn't exactly want to kill Damon, but... The thought of going back to my old life was tempting. I couldn't make the choice easily, though. It was so simple. His life for mine. Why couldn't I go through with it?

There was a part of me that pulled away from the thought of killing him. It was hard to explain past that. Even if I didn't want to like him, I had to admit to myself that I trusted him. I couldn't just betray him...

And then there was the matter of me facing Link. I didn't know if he was real either. What if I killed Damon, and this all turned out to be a trick? I wouldn't be able to do anything if I went through with it.

The signs all pointed toward one action. My brain told me to do it, but my heart couldn't stand it. One would have to win in the end, though.

I cast my spell of calling, the one that bound my staff to me. The black wood was familiar, something solid and unchanged to hold onto as my feelings told me I had lost my mind.

With a last deep breath, I charged into the fight.


	8. Chapter 8 - Sense Of Reality

Chapter 8: Sense Of Reality

/\/\

Damon took a hard hit in the face from Link's shield, and was thrown onto his back. At this moment, I chose to strike, regardless of my uncertainty.

I slashed with the blade end of my staff, trying to get past his shield and win before the fight even started. The stunned look in Link's eyes told me everything I already knew; I had made the unexpected choice.

Sparks flew as my blade hit Link's shield. He had brought it up so quickly it was almost... inhuman. I slashed again, but he blocked it, and I had to stop his counterattack.

The look of betrayal he gave me said it all. There was no making up after this. One of us would die in this fight, no matter what.

"Why?" he asked. "After everything we've been through, why would you side with him?!"

I kept my staff ready, looking over my shoulder at the apparently unconscious Damon.

"I..."

"What is he to you?" Link yelled angrily. I took a step back, turning red as I realize what he meant.

"I... I don't know what you're talking about! I don't care about him!" I shouted, slashing at his legs. He jumped back, then retaliated. I caught the blade on the wooden part of my staff.

With a feral, uncharacteristic growl, Link wrenched his sword out of my staff and swung again. As I went to block, he changed the angle of his swing, aiming to disarm instead. My staff went spinning away, too far to get to before Link's next attack hit me.

That blow never landed. As the sword whistled toward me in a deadly silver arc, Damon appeared out of nowhere, eyes wide. He caught Link's strike on his crystal shield.

Link was enraged. I could tell from the shadows swirling all around him- wait...

Shadows?!

'No... Please, no... Not him...' I thought frantically. The color drained from Link's clothes, his skin and hair darkened, and his eyes took on a red glow. Even his shield lost all brightness.

It was Dark Link.

"Foolish play-hero! I WAS going to let you live!" he shouted, lunging at Damon, who fell backward from the weight of the blow. Dark Link slipped behind him and threw him into the air with unnatural speed and strength, then jumped. He grabbed Damon in midair, then slammed him onto the ground with a heavy impact. I called my staff as I saw this, running toward them, not sure if I could move fast enough.

Just before the fatal blow could land, Damon rolled out of the way, climbing unsteadily to his feet. He lifted his shield, staying in one place as much as he could as Dark Link circled him.

Damon caught my eye and made a slight motion toward Dark Link with his sword. He grunted as he stopped the resulting attack with his shield.

Dark Link almost had his back to me. Damon took one more step to the side, was mirrored, and I charged. With a loud cry, I drove the bladed end of my staff through his chest.

Or, tried to. He twisted, batting the deadly point away, and began a rapid assault. I couldn't attack again without leaving myself open for a counterattack.

As it happened, I didn't have to. The shadowy figure's red eyes widened as Damon, who had seemed unable to even walk a few moments ago, caught him in the back with another slash. He dropped to his knees, seemingly in awe at his defeat.

"I... couldn't even kill... the fake..." he gasped before I drove my blade through his heart. He faded away in small black clouds of what appeared to be shadows.

The room shifted all around us. It was still pure white, but I could make out the walls and floor, at least. I was standing on the outer ring of the floor's embossed pattern. Damon was standing closer to the center.

Suddenly, a glowing blue wall rose around the edge of the pattern's inner ring. Damon was locked in, and I was locked out, but he didn't seem worried. On the contrary, he was smiling.


	9. Chapter 9 - Rise Of A Hero

Chapter 9: Rise of a Hero

I smiled to reassure Midna after the wall appeared. I knew the moment it went up that we had won. We were both safe... for the moment.

"Come to us, hero..." three voices said in unison. I turned toward the center of the room, where a pillar of light almost blinded me a second time.

Despite the strangeness of this, I was completely unafraid. I walked toward the center, and the light began to die down.

Finally, I stepped into the center. The wall of light stayed where it was, though the pillar was gone.

In its place were three golden triangles bonded together at the points.

The Triforce. It was right here. I stared in total disbelief.

"Touch it, hero, and you will be granted one wish. Ask anything within our power, and it will be granted."

I could hardly move, I was so awestruck. I thought about what I could do. Here was a way back home, a way out of this place.

On the other hand, I didn't want to leave Midna stranded in the Light Realm. It would be horrible thanks for her saving my life so many times already.

If only she didn't hate me. I had no way to change that, though.

Or... did I? Could I use this wish to do just that?

"It is possible, hero."

The goddesses were obviously reading my mind now. Was this what I was going to use my wish on? Would I be happy with the outcome? I wasn't sure.

Regardless of my doubts, I closed my eyes and slowly reached out with my right hand until I touched the Triforce. It had a cool, solid feel, like it was some kind of metal. I froze one thought in my head, and focused on it.

"We hear your wish, hero, and it shall be reality." the goddesses said.

A frenzied whirl of colors rushed across my vision. I heard Midna call my name, then I fell. A burning sensation was the last thing I felt before I slipped into unconsciousness once again.

When I woke again, I saw Midna staring at me in concern and confusion.

"You... didn't leave..." she said. I could almost hear a relieved edge to her voice. I sat up slowly, remembering the whirl of colors. It had given me a painful headache, and made me nauseous, in addition to making me faint.

"Why did you stay?" she asked. I shook my head. I wasn't even sure myself. Maybe it was just the feeling I got that I would be leaving something unfinished.

"I don't know." I said. "It just... it just felt right. Plus, I still owe you."

"Aren't we even now?" she asked. I laughed.

"Well, if we are I've been screwed!" I joked. "We've saved each other's lives a few times now. I don't even know what the count is at."

As we spoke, I scratched absently at my right hand, where I had touched the Triforce. It had burned before I had passed out, and I could still feel a warmth.

Midna's eyes widened as she looked at the back of my hand, then she snatched it and stared.

"When did you get THAT?!" she said. I looked, and gasped. A black triangle marked the back of my hand, a sign I had seen before.

"I... It must've been put there after I touched it..." I said.

The goddesses had called me 'Hero' and given me a Triforce piece... Did that mean that Hyrule was in danger again already? Was I, of all people, supposed to save it?

Aside from this apprehension, I felt somewhat indifferent. Warmth I hadn't felt before was filling me, giving me new energy, and I felt like I could take on anything and win. Aside from that, my mind was clear. Most of the thoughts that had been keeping me from concentrating were gone to the corners of my mind. The sword I'd fought Dark Link with was strapped to my back, along with the crystal shield, and the cloak was wrapped around me, still seeming to radiate darkness whenever it moved, leaving a temporary silhouette wherever it had been a moment earlier.

As we walked out of the Trials into the darkness of night, everything was silent. There was no breeze, and no animals seemed to be nearby. A fog rolled into the clearing, along with an eerie whispering, then, amidst the fog, a man's figure appeared.

His skin was bone-white, like he'd never been in the sun before. The fog seemed to embrace him almost lovingly, and his cloak, whose design matched the one I currently wore, swirled around him as if driven by the wind. A large, polished axe gleamed on his back.

He looked up, threw his hood back, and fixed his blood-red eyes on us. His black hair was unkempt, and his eyes told of many hardships he'd lived through.

"Who are you?!" I demanded. The young man laughed.

"I am not surprised that you don't recognize me..." he said. "But that doesn't matter. I am Firion. I came to this time to see my mother."

I stared, dumbstruck, as he turned to Midna, who seemed just as stunned.

"Me?" she asked. He nodded.

**_AN: I know the Triforce is usually on the left hand. He touched it with his right, so that's how that happened._**

**_His wish is a secret I'm going to save for the right moment. Some of you may have already figured it out_**

**_PLEASE review! I need feedback to make my writing better!_**


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